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FAQ Fellowships

Is there any support available for patient and public involvement (PPI) in the development of my application?
Yes, your local Research Support Service may be available to provide support. Each member also has a PPI lead in place who might be able to support you. Additional guidelines can be found in the PPI section of the SPCR website under resources for researchers.

What are the start dates for the fellowships?
Usually the Primary Care Clinicians Career Progression Fellowships start in August of the year you submitted the application, though there is some flexibility with this start date. The Post-Doctoral Fellowships start, depending on which competition you applied for, in either April or October.


Will there be more opportunities to apply for a fellowship from the SPCR?
Yes there will be. The Primary Care Clinicians Career Progression Fellowship competition will run annually, launching in April. The Post-Doctoral Fellowship competition will be run twice a year; in Autumn with an expected start date in April and in Spring with an expected start date in October.

When will the next competition be launched?
The next round Post Doctoral Fellowships will launch in September 2023 and the Primary Care Clinicians Career Progression Fellowships will launch in February 2024.

 

Do I need to provide costings within my Fellowship application?
No. The SPCR Post-Doctoral Fellowships are capped awards and do not require costings as part of the application. The Primary Care Clinicians Career Progression Fellowship will require a costing overview if successful at interview. For more details on the funding provided, please read the guidance notes.

We do however recommend that you discuss the fellowship funding with your local research manager or costing team.

 

Do I need to be employed by an SPCR member to apply for a fellowship?
No, everyone keen to further develop their career in primary care research is welcome to apply. However, you have to conduct your research at one of the SPCR members. To learn more about the research conducted at SPCR members and identify where you might want to conduct yours, have a look at the "Members Information for Fellowship Applicants" on our website.

 

What support does the NIHR School for Primary Care Research provide their funded Fellows?
All Fellows funded by the SPCR will become part of our Trainees community. Read more about our community

Questions specifically for Primary Care Clinicians Career Progression Fellowship 

Is this opportunity only for GPs?
No, all clinicians working in UK primary care are eligible to apply for the fellowship. For example: practice nurses; health visitors; dentists, primary care pharmacists; optometrists working in primary care and general practitioners (NB this list is not exhaustive)   

 

Can I apply for this Fellowship whilst still in clinical training?
You can apply, but have to be fully qualified in your area when your fellowship starts. GPs are required to have a CCT number at the start of their Fellowship. This competition runs annually so if you are still in training you might be able to apply at a later stage in your career.

Questions specifically for Post-Doctoral Fellowship

Will the SPCR Post-Doctoral Fellowship be considered as an Advanced Fellowship by the NIHR?
No, it won't be. As such, the SPCR fellowship won't reduce the number of times you can hold an NIHR Advanced Fellowship.

Do I need to have submitted my PhD thesis in a particular timeframe to be eligible to apply for the post-doctoral fellowship?
No, there is no particular timeframe to be eligible to apply. However, the fellowships are a fixed sum award and the fellowships come with an expectation that a full-time salary will be approx. £40k, so it is most-likely appropriate for those who are early career researchers and have submitted their PhD in the last 3 years. However, applications will be considered from researchers who have transitioned into applied health research from a different disciplinary background or who have re-established a research career following a significant career break.

 

Can I apply for a post-doctoral fellowship if I held one during a previous SPCR contract?
No, researchers who already held a launching fellowship of the SPCR are not eligible to apply for a post-doctoral fellowship.


How is the award value of £160k calculated?
This is based on an approximate salary of £40k pa for 2 years. The award includes funds for NI, pension, overheads (for the host institution) and for training and research costs and is for 24 months if taken fulltime. We recommend that you discuss this further with your local costings team before making an application.

 

Will my Fellowship still be £160k if I undertake the Fellowship part-time?
No. The length of the fellowship for both part-time and full-time fellows is 24 months. Those doing the Fellowship part-time will receive funding pro-rata.

 

If I am based at a University in London, will my salary include the London weighting?
Yes, it will. So for Post Doctoral Fellowships based in London the expected salary will be approx. £40k + London weighting.

 

Can I be at any stage in my post-doc career to apply for the post-doctoral fellowship?
Yes, but keep in mind that the post-doctoral fellowships are fixed amounts of £160k for the whole duration of your fellowship with a salary expectation of approx. £40k. Usually applicants identify themselves with one of the following profiles:

  • Recently completed or be about to be awarded a PhD, but haven’t yet established yourself as an independent researcher
  • Established yourself as an independent researcher or you are in the process of doing so, but are not yet recognised as an international leader in your field
  • Transitioned into applied health research from a basic science background or re-established your research career following a significant career break

 

Can I apply to the Post-Doctoral Fellowship if I haven't passed by viva yet?
Yes, you can submit an application if you haven't passed your viva yet. However, you must have passed your viva and, if required made adjustments to your thesis, before the Fellowship starts in October or April. If you are not sure if you will meet these timelines, you might want to delay your application till the next competition.